PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 6, 2011
Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require a retail electric supplier to submit to the Secretary of Energy (DOE) for calendar year 2013 and thereafter one or more of the following: (1) specified federal renewable energy credits, (2) certification of the renewable energy generated and electricity savings, and (3) specified alternative compliance payments. Prescribes, for calendar years 2013 through 2039, a schedule of graduated annual percentages of a retail electric supplier's base amount that shall be generated from renewable energy resources (increasing from 6% in 2013 to 25% in 2025).
Directs the Secretary to establish a program to: (1) verify and issue federal renewable energy credits to generators of renewable energy; (2) track the sale, exchange, and retirement of the credits; and (3) enforce the federal renewable energy credits program.
Directs the Secretary to issue a generator of electric energy one federal renewable energy credit for each kilowatt hour of electric energy generated by the use of a renewable energy resource at an eligible facility.
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Prescribes rules for federal renewable energy credit trading and for borrowing and repayment of federal renewable energy credits.
Provides that this Act does not diminish the authority of a state or its political subdivision to: (1) adopt or enforce any law (including regulations) respecting renewable energy, or (2) regulate the acquisition and disposition of federal renewable energy credits by retail electric suppliers.
Permits an electric utility that has sales of electric energy subject to rate regulation to recover the full cost of renewable energy obtained to comply with this Act.
Establishes in the Treasury a state renewable energy account for a grant program for promoting renewable energy production and providing energy assistance and weatherization services to low-income consumers.
People & committees
Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM] · D–NM
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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